


High Flight

by Impetus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 21:39:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16710523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impetus/pseuds/Impetus
Summary: Everything and all the things in between.





	High Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CastleSL](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastleSL/gifts).



> Thank you for being so patient, CastleSL!  
> I'm sorry it took forever, and I hope you like it! <3

Flying with Shiro is everything to Lance. Each beat of their dragons’ wings against the air sends his spirits soaring, his shouts and whoops careening through the wind behind them as they streak through the sky.

“Hey, I’ll race you,” Lance says, adjusting the goggles digging into his nose. Gusts whip around them, but it doesn’t matter, he can still hear Shiro’s exasperated ‘ _Lance.’_ He doesn’t even wait. “Let’s go, Blue,” Lance yells, nudging the arctic dragon with both of his knobby knees.

Lance glances over his shoulder to spot the giant form of Shiro’s dragon, Kuro, rising up through the clouds. The ozone dragon lets out a snort, a crackle of electricity and a billow of smoke. “Lance, you shouldn’t fly so high,” Shiro admonishes.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Shiro?” Lance asks, guiding Blue into a climb. She lets out a delighted noise and a puff of frigid air washes over Lance as they continue to fly further into the sky.

“It’s about a thousand feet lower than where we’re cruising right now,” Shiro replies. He pulls Kuro alongside Lance and Blue.

“Keith’s all the way up there!” Lance pouts, waving up toward the red speck dipping and weaving above them.

“Pidge and Hunk are also all the way down there,” Shiro says, gesturing toward the ground. “We’re patrolling midlines, and you know Red is better suited for high sky flight.”

“Whatever,” Lance groans. He rolls his eyes and acquiesces to Shiro’s reason. “Fine.” Lance stands, feet hooking through a set of stirrups, and unbuckles his harness. He shoots Shiro a wink and slides off of his saddle.

“Lance!”

“C’mon, Shiro!” Lance hollers. He doesn’t bother looking up, waiting for Shiro to join him as he plummets through the thermals and currents, down toward the fast approaching ground. Lance pulls in his arms, tightening them around him when he feels the warmth of Shiro’s hand on his waist.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Shiro murmurs into Lance’s ear. Shiro presses the hard lines of his body, armor and all, against Lance’s side. Lance looks over at him.

“Nah, because then I wouldn’t be able to fly with my hero,” Lance replies with a cheeky grin, pressing a kissing against Shiro’s chin.

“Is that all I am?” Shiro asks. Wind blown cheeks burn light pink as their chapped lips find each other.

“Never,” Lance laughs. They share a couple more kisses before letting the air pull them apart.

Blue and Kuro sweep beneath them, catching their riders before rising back up to the midlines.

***

Mating season is the worst. Or the best. Lance isn’t quite sure which.

On the one hand, it’s freezing out, and it’s boring without Blue, but on the other, it’s the first season he and Shiro are going to share together. They can go on actual dates without the rest of their flight crew tagging along.

With the dragons flying south to mate, none of them have the usual obligations. Yeah, actually, mating season is going to be the best, Lance thinks. There’s a knock, and the smell of ozone leaks into Lance’s room from beneath the closed door.

“Lance?”

“It’s open, come in,” Lance calls, snuggling deeper into his covers. He hears the turn of the knob.

“You left your door unlocked?” Shiro asks. “That’s not safe.”

“I’m too lazy to get the door,” Lance replies with a pout. “Now come here. It’s cold out there in the wild,” he says, lifting his standard-issue blankets in invitation. There’s a small blue dragon stitched in the corner. Lance likes to keep some side hobbies, and this one still hasn’t gotten him a code violation.

Shiro lets out a soft chuckle and steps inside. He locks the door behind him. “We’re indoors,” Shiro says, slipping into Lance’s space despite the roll of his eyes. “And it’s almost ten. Are you planning on getting up anytime soon?”

“Blue’s off with Kuro, I don’t have to take care of her, and thus, I’m not leaving this bed,” Lance answers. He wraps Shiro in his arms, revelling in the skin to skin contact, accepting the cold in exchange for his heat.

“Do you mind if I stay with you, then?” Shiro asks, voice soft as he inches closer. Lance presses kisses into his skin, replacing the chill from the base hallways, and sighs.

“Stay with me forever,” Lance murmurs.

“Okay,” Shiro replies.

***

Waking up next to Shiro is a dream. Shiro snores, white hair fluttering as he shifts against the pillow, and Lance cannot stop smiling.

Wind blows against the windows, frost creeping along the edges of stained glass. Shiro shifts, nose wrinkling with discomfort, and Lance summons his magic. Blue magic, healing magic, seeps into Shiro’s bones. There’s a soft sigh of relief. Then, Shiro sneezes.

“Lance?” Shiro mumbles. His voice is thick with sleep, eyelashes glued together, and limbs heavy. As large as he is, Shiro is adorable. Lance presses kisses to Shiro’s cheeks and forehead.

“Yeah?”

“Magic?” Shiro slurs, still blinking into awareness. The blankets and sheets slide over Lance’s body as Shiro moves. There’s something strange, almost puppy-like, in Shiro’s demeanor as he gives a soft snuffle. Affection blooms in Lance’s chest.

Lance loves Shiro, always has, but loving a man this much borders on unfair. “Yeah, you looked uncomfortable,” Lance explains.

“Mm, don’t use too much,” Shiro says. He kisses Lance’s collarbone, sending a small of his own magic rushing through Lance’s body.

Strength, courage, and a deep well of energy surge through Lance, replenishing his spirit.

“Don’t use your magic to help me when I just used my magic to help you,” Lance groans. “I’m trying to be smooth.”

“You’re very smooth, Lance,” Shiro replies, drifting off again.

“I know I am,” Lance huffs.

“And you know that I love you?” Shiro asks. His eyes are closed, and Lance cannot breathe.

“I love you too.”

Shiro smells like cedar, refreshing, and Lance wants to tear the world apart to keep Shiro just like this. Dates can wait, Lance decides.Snow falls from the sky as they sleep on.

***

The commons are bustling with activity.

“Shiro is missing,” echoes from every hallway and from behind closed doors.

There are rumors of the Galra, Shiro as their captive, and Lance cannot fucking breathe. He rushes out to the stables and finds Keith already saddling up.

“Are you coming or what?” Keith snaps.

“Don’t get lost trying to keep up,” Lance snipes back.

Pidge, Hunk, and Allura burst into the stables. They all give each other the same steely expressions, weapons at the ready, and determination flying high.

They take off.

***

Blue screeches, freezing the wings of every dragon that approaches. The riders fall with shouts of distress and panic. Lance pulls Shiro closer, prone body slumping against him, and surveys the field. The others are fighting with him, ready to take off as soon as he gives the all clear.

Keith and Red sear lines of liquid fire across the battle field, Hunk and Yellow creating sinkholes that suck in the Galra weaponry as Yellow’s roars vibrate the earth. Pidge and Green petrify the soldiers on the ground, electricity and flora working in tandem to keep the remaining fighters grounded. Allura is already on her way back to their homebase, evacuating prisoners with the small fleet of dragons she keeps.

Kuro flies, somehow, every inch of the ozone dragon struggling against the air. Lance licks off the blood that lines his teeth, and swallows it. Lotor has a mean right hook. They have to go.

They have to go now.

“Blue,” he shouts. She roars in response, soaring upward before plummeting back down, ice showering in bursts as she streaks toward freedom.

Lance feels Shiro shift in his arms. “Lance,” Shiro says, voice disappearing into the wind.

“You’re okay now,” Lance sobs, desperate, hoping that Shiro can hear him. He can feel Shiro’s blood seeping into the fabric of his pants, the frigid air stiffening the material as it freezes over. “Rest.”

Shiro nods against his chest.

***

He’s battered, more of a bruise than a person, but Shiro is in Lance’s arms again. Lance curls around Shiro, every ounce of his magic pouring into Shiro’s body.

There is so much Lance wants to say.

“I wish you would let me help you,” Lance murmurs. His magic surges through him and into Shiro, wards of love and protection. “I wish you would lean on me. I wish you felt like you could depend on me.”

Shiro shifts in Lance’s arms, letting out a light sigh. He blinks into awareness. “Lance,” he breathes.

“Hey,” Lance whispers. “You scared me,” he says with a stern frown. Shiro offers a small smile and lays a hand on Lance’s cheek.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro says.

Tears tumble down Lance’s cheeks. They taste like the pain Shiro bore, the fear of a love lost, a litany of ice and fire and everything in between.

“None of that,” Lance insists, reverently caressing every part of Shiro he can reach without disturbing Shiro’s wounds.

“Don’t cry,” Shiro whispers, thumb brushing each confession from Lance’s skin, leaving nothing but salt behind. “I’ll never leave you again,” Shiro murmurs. “I love you too much.”

“You better,” Lance jokes, sniffling as his tears start anew.

Shiro nods, yawning, and slips back into the dreams that cling to his lashes. Lance cradles him close. He clings to Shiro’s heat.

_Thank you for returning to me._


End file.
